Tips, tricks and techniques for dorm dining

Written by Grace Baines

In a twist of topic, this week I will focus on tricks, techniques and ways to make you a stronger cook — both in and out of the dorm room. These little tricks will make cooking a more enjoyable process and make you feel more confident in the kitchen. I’ll also tell you a little about the way microwaves cook: what you can and cannot do with the power of a dorm microwave. So grab your aprons and lets get learning.

Common dried spices and herbs, and what they pair with:

Allspice is deeply pungent and best used in spice mixes. Add a pinch to fresh guacamole for a flavorful dish.
Bay Leaf adds a woodsy taste to soups. Grind into a powder before adding it to soup.
Cayenne pepper is essentially ground red peppers. It adds a sweet heat and bit of a punch and is good with soups and spice mixes.
Nutmeg is a ground or whole nut and is sweet in taste. Best with baked goods, however, adding it to a savory dish can add a warm taste.
Oregano has a strong and lemony flavor. Best in Mediterranean and Mexican dishes.
Rosemary is a strong and pine-flavored herb. It’s good with everything from eggs to roasted vegetables to grilled meats.
Thyme has a strong, woodsy flavor. This herb is your best friend as it can go with pretty much anything.

Common fresh herbs and what they pair with:

Basil has a strong taste and smell and gives pasta, tomato sauces and sandwiches a distinct and powerful flavor.
Chives have a soft onion flavor. They make a great add on to a dish where you want fresh onion taste that isn’t as pungent.
Cilantro has a strong flavor perfect for bringing out the underlying tastes of Asian, Latin American, or Caribbean cuisine.
Dill is a softer herb in taste. It makes a great addition to any fish dish or over potatoes.
Mint has a strong flavor that pairs extremely well with lamb, peas, potatoes and anything with chocolate in it.

Ever wonder what you can safely cook in a microwave?

Well, microwaves are highly versatile but there is of course a limit to what can and cannot be safely prepared in a microwave. Microwaves work by causing friction in the water molecules inside your food. This produces heat and in turn cooks your food. However, microwaves are not able to really control the temperature your food hits, and it can be unsafe to cook things like meat or fish. My general rule of thumb is this: if the food you’re trying to cook could potentially cause hospitalization if improperly cooked, don’t attempt it. But, if the food you’re trying out simply requires boiling water (but isn’t something like shrimp) it should be fine to cook in a microwave.

Top 7 Easy Cooking Tips

Grated butter trick

Take a stick of frozen butter and use a cheese grater to grate the butter into a bowl for easy measuring and distribution.

The pasta trick

Cook pasta one minute less than it says to, and finish cooking it in the sauce for a better flavor.

The stainless steel trick

Stainless steel will get rid of smell. If you’ve worked with something pungent like garlic rub your hands on something made of stainless steel before washing them. It will remove the smell and be easier to clean off.

The oil trick

Pour extra oil into a pan by making a stream along the edges, this way when it reaches the food item the cooking oil is heated to the same temperature as the dish.

The trick to recipes

Recipes are a guide, not an order. Once you get comfortable feel free to change it up to better suit your liking.

The sticky test

The sticky test is a great way to check if your pasta is cooked. If the pasta is perfectly ‘al dente’, the pasta should be nice and sticky. You can usually feel it with your fingers but of course you can also do it the movie magic way and throw a piece of pasta at the wall.